Table.



O. HOLMES.

TABLE. PPLIOATION FILED APR. 24. 1909.

Patented Jan. 11,1910. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@Meer ffalifw o. HoLMs.

TABLE.

APPLIOATION FILED APB. 24, 1909.l 946,363. Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OMER HOLMES, OF CLATSKANIE, OREGON.

TABLE.

To all whom it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, OMER HOLMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clatskanie, in the county of Columbia and State of Oregon, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tables, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of this invention is to provide novel means for use in connection with tables or like devices provided with drop wings or leaves for automatically projecting the supports for the wings or leaves into operative position when said wings are elevated or lifted into horizontal position.

The primary object of the invention is to devise novel and peculiar actuating means for throwing the wing supports into operative position, said means being brought into active operation automatically by the wings or leaves when elevated.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide simple and effective means which may be readily applied to tables or other articles of furniture already manufactured without necessitating material changes therein and which means are certain and positive in action, being automatically brought into play by movement of the drop wings or leaves when lifted into horizontal position.

It is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the nature of the invention.

Referring to the drawings herewith forming a part of the specification: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a table embodying the invent-ion, a portion of the top being broken away to show more clearly the relative arrangement of the wing supports, the dotted lines showing the wings or leaves extended. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 showing the parts on a larger scale. Fig. 4t is a transverse section on the line 1 -4: of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view, showing an arm of one of the catches and the loop guide cooperating therewith.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led April 24, 1909.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 491,922.

The invention in its adaptation is shown in connection with a table provided with drop wings or leaves hingedly connected to the top in any desired way. The table shown is of ordinary construction and comprises the top 1, and drop wings 2. The supporting framework of the table comprises legs 3 and side pieces t connecting the upper ends of the legs and attached to the top 1 in any way. Longitudinal strips 5 extend in parallel relation and are connected at opposite ends to opposite side pieces 4t. A horizontal strip 6 closes the space formed between the longitudinal strips 5 thereby completely housing the wing supports and actuating means. The

strips 5 and 6 inclose a space forming a guide and housing. Other strips 7 are disposed at a right angle to the longitudinal strips 5 and parallel with the side pieces to which the strips 5 and 6 are attached and are connected at their ends to corresponding legs thereby reinforcing the framework. The wing supports 8 are of similar construction and are slidably mounted in the guide formed by the strips 5 and 6 and are adapted to have end portions project beyond the side pieces 41 adjacent the drop wings so as to extend beneath the latter and suspend the same in horizontal or elevated position. The wing supports 8 may be of any construction and have a limited sliding movement. The end portions 9 adapted to project beyond the side pieces 4t and come beneath Athe wings 2 are reduced as indicated, the shoulders a formed at the inner ends of the reduced portions constituting stops to limit the outward movement of the support.

Means are provided and coperate with the wing supports to normally exert a force thereon to project the same into operative position. This means consists essentially of an expansible spring 10 which is located within the guide or space formed by the strips 5 and 6 and abutting at its ends against portions of the wing supports so as to exert an outward pressure thereon. To hold the spring 10 in proper position a support is provided and consists of members 11 and 12 having a telescoping arrangement and secured at their outer ends to the respective supports 8 so as to move therewith. This support passes through the spring 10.

To hold the wing supports 8 pressed inward or out of operative position, catches 13 are provided and are automatic in operation so as to engage with said parts 8 when pressed inward and prevent outward movement thereof under the action of the spring 10. These catches 13 may be of any construction and are located at or near the outer ends of the guide in which the wing supports 8 slide in position so as to engage with said supports. Each catch is provided with a cooperating spring 14 which presses the same upward into engagement with the coperating wing support. As shown each catch 13 is constructed of a piece of wire bent into the form of an open frame which is directed in its vertical movements by guides 15 and 16. The upper guides 15 are formed of a wire bent into the form of a loop. The lower guide 16 consists of a box which receives the spring 14 and the catch 13. The upper end of the catch is adapted to enter a recess 1T formed in the under side of the support 8. Under normal conditions, the wing supports 8 are pressed inward against the tension of the spring 10 and are held in such position by the catches 13. It follows that upon disengaging one or both of the catches 13 from one or both of the wing supports, the latter will be thrown outward by the action of the spring 10 provided one or both of the drop wings 2 has been elevated or moved :into horizontal position to admit of the reduced end or ends 9 of the supports 8 passing outward beneath said drop wings. It is proposed to interpose connecting means between each of the drop wings and the corresponding catch 13 so as to release the latter when the drop wing is lifted. Any connecting means may be employed that will admit of'disengaging the catches from the wing supports. As shown a bell crank 18 is mounted upon each side piece adjacent the drop wing and the horizontal arm of the bell crank is connected to the adjacent catch 13 and the vertical arm of the bell crank is connected to the. drop wing preferably by means of a cord or chain 19.

In disposing the parts it is to be understood that they must be of such relative arrangement as to admit of the catches 13 being disengaged wholly and entirely from the wing supports 8 when the drop wings 2 are elevated so that said wing supports may be pushed outwardby the expansive action of the spring 10 so as to engage beneath the drop wings and hold the same elevated.

Having'thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In combination with al table comprising a top and a. framework, a drop wing hinged to said top, a support mounted upon the framework and adapted to be normally projected into operative position to hold the drop wing elevated, a catch for holding the wing support in inoperative position against the force exerted to project the same, and connecting means between the drop wing and said catch to release the wing supportwhen the drop wing is elevated to admit of said wing support autonlatically moving' into position beneath the drop wing to hold the same elevated.

2. In combination, with a table comprising a top and a framework, a drop wing hinged to said top, a support mounted upon the framework and. adapted to hold the drop wing elevated, means normally exerting a force to project said wing support into operative position, a catch for holding said wingsupport in restraint, and means actuated'by the drop wing to effect release of the catch from the wing support to admit of the latter automatically moving into operative position.

3. In combinatiom' with a table comprising a top and a framework, a drop wing hinged to said top, a support for the drop wing slidably mounted on the framework, a spring normally exerting a force upon said support to project the same into operative position, means for limiting the movement of said support, a catch for holding the wing support in restraint, and means adapted to be actuated by the drop wing to release the catch to admit of the wing support automatically coming into play to support the drop wing in elevated position.

4. In combination, with a table comprising a top and a framework, oppositely disposed drop wings hinged to said top, supports for the drop wings slidably mounted upon the framework, aA spring interposed between said supports and normally tending to press the same outward, a guide for said spring comprising telescoping members passed through the spring and attached to the wing supports and movable therewith, catches for holding the wing supports when pressed inward and connecting means between said catches and drop wings, whereby upon lifting one or both drop wings, the support or supports are projected so as to hold the same in elevated position.

5. In combination, a top, drop wings hinged to opposite edges of said top, a supporting framework, strips reinforcing said. framework and inclosing a space forming a guide, wing supports slidably mounted in opposite ends of said guide, a spring interposed between said wing supports and normally exerting a force to press the same outward, a guide for said spring comprising telescoping sections, attached to the said wing supports and movable therewith, catches adapted to engage with the wing supports and hold the same pressed inward against the action of the aforesaid spring, In'testimony whereof I affix my signaand connectlngnieans between said catches ture 1n presence of two Witnesses. and the respective wings and adapted to be OMER HOLMES automatically operated when the Wings are y elevated to release the wing supports which 7itnessesz are automatically projected into operative GRACE Gr. TICHENOR, position to support the Wings when elevated. E. D. TICHENOR. 

